First Contact Resolution (FCR) is resolving the issue or need of the customer in the first call or chat session itself. It is a key aspect of any company providing the call center solution. It is a metric to measure the performance of a call center solution. It is also known as one touch resolution or first call resolution.
For many companies providing the customer care services using a call center solution solving customers’ queries and complaints on the first attempt is of prime importance. Achieving FCR requires more than just customer friendly agents and an advanced call center solution. Assisting a customer efficiently without losing the human feel requires agent training, processes, technology, coaching programs, a powerful multichannel solution and effective protocols in the call center.
Here are some ways to achieve first contact resolution to achieve maximum customer satisfaction while providing customer care services:
- Empowering the customer support executives
Providing call center agents with the right training and resources go a long way in resolving customer queries effectively. Rather than providing a specific script to the agents, they must be trained to use their skills and knowledge to help the customer. The correct knowledge management solution and advanced call center software provide executives with the tools they need to help customers quickly and effectively.
- Identifying recurring contacts or issues for root cause analysis
It involves identifying the reason(s) why the customers’ queries are not getting resolved in the first instance. To get a clear idea of this, one can have a look at the customer surveys, call recordings, live chat transcripts, speech and text analysis and other metrics available in the call center software. Once the root cause of the problem has been identified, the brand is well adapted to solve problems before they arise.
- Using a multichannel approach
Every customer is different and so is his/her preference. While some customers may prefer the call channel, some prefer the social media channel. However, it is in the best interest of the customer to make a switch if the need arises. For example, if a customer uses the social media channel to post a question that needs sharing of any personal data, the agent should move the customer to a more private channel like email or call. In this way, the call center solution can protect the customer’s privacy while addressing the problem on an appropriate channel. Also, the advanced call center software supports all different channels by being an omnichannel contact center solution.
- Verifying the satisfaction levels of the customer
A call center executive may feel that the customer’s query has been resolved. But does the customer feel the same? is the question to ponder upon. Quality checks to the customer should always be done if he/she is satisfied with the reply provided by the agent towards the query or are there any unaddressed concerns still remaining. If a customer still requires support, make sure to keep going until the ticket is closed by a satisfactory solution.
It is very important for the company providing customer care services to achieve high FCR rates. This helps to save customers time and sends across a strong message to them that the brand they are associated with takes their customers seriously. By acquiring a powerful call center solution and skilled agents, one can deliver the best service to their customers.